NFL notebook: Denver fans do the 'Tebowing'

Tim Tebow inspired a phenomenon when he dropped to a knee and began praying as his teammates wildly celebrated all around him after an improbable overtime win in Miami last weekend.

Tim Tebow inspired a phenomenon when he dropped to a knee and began praying as his teammates wildly celebrated all around him after an improbable overtime win in Miami last weekend.

That was simply Tebow “Tebowing,” a phrase coined by a fan sitting in a bar in New York and watching the popular yet polarizing quarterback rally the Denver Broncos.

Jared Kleinstein was mesmerized by Tebow’s peaceful demeanor kneeling on the turf amid all the chaos that ensued. He launched a website earlier this week in which fans could submit photos of themselves “Tebowing,” which means getting down on a knee and praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different. He went from an audience of 785 to nearly 390,000 in just a few days.

The website isn’t meant to mock Tebow or poke fun at his religious beliefs, just show support.

Yesterday after practice, Tebow said he appreciated the spirit of the website.

“Yeah, some people don’t necessarily take it seriously but they’re on their knee praying, so who knows what you’re going to think about after that and how that can affect you?” Tebow said. “ Hopefully, it’s a good example for people.”

The former Heisman Trophy winner from Florida was abysmal for the opening 55 minutes in Miami.

Then, Tebow turned electric as he brought the Broncos back from a 15-0 deficit in the final moments to force overtime, where the team pulled out an 18-15 win. It’s the largest deficit overcome in a victory with less than three minutes left since the 1970 NFL merger.

“When we won the game, the people in the bar were jumping around as if the Broncos had just won the Super Bowl, even though we had only beaten the last-place team in the league,” Kleinstein recalled.

“I just looked up at the screen — the team is celebrating and he took a quick bow. I just said, ‘ That’s Tebowing.’

“That’s how we should pay tribute.’”

Super Bowl host Indianapolis says fans will embrace cold

The latest artist’s rendering of the Super Bowl Village in Indianapolis shows fans in short sleeves soaking up the festive atmosphere.

What’s missing? Snow, ice and cold temperatures.

Local organizers hope they’ll have good weather for the city’s first Super Bowl on Feb.?5, but have spent months making contingency plans and believe they’re ready for anything.

“I’m not worried about being able to deal with inclement weather over the three blocks (of the Super Bowl Village),” host committee chairman Mark Miles said. “We’re not worried about snow. It’s really a bigger issue. We’ve talked previously about our weather- response team, and they are very geared up to deal with all of the possible weather conditions.”

As the countdown to the big game hit 100 days yesterday, Miles and host committee president Allison Melangton provided updates about everything from entertainment to weather plans.

With the city averaging 27 inches of snow each year and temperatures in January and February typically dropping into the 20s, weather has become a major concern, following problems in the Dallas-Fort Worth area last year. Snow, ice and unseasonably cold weather hampered travel around north Texas.

The village is within walking distance of Lucas Oil Stadium, and committee officials plan to keep fans warm by installing radiant heaters around the village. Organizers think it will feel more like tailgating at Green Bay games or partying at the Winter Olympics than being out in the cold.

Browns’ Hillis married to more than the game now

If Browns running back Peyton Hillis is ruled out of Sunday’s game because of a hamstring injury, he’ll have a little more time for his honeymoon.

It was learned yesterday that Hillis got married earlier this week in Arkansas. He reportedly married Amanda Brown from Oklahoma.

Seahawks’ Bryant fined for head-butting Browns’ Smith

Seahawks defensive tackle Red Bryant, who blocked two Phil Dawson field goals, was fined $15,000 for head-butting Alex Smith at the end of the Browns’ 6-3 victory on Sunday.

Bryant was ejected from the game and his penalty prevented his team from getting the ball back with a chance to win at the end.

Bryant accused Smith of taking cheap shots at him during the game; Smith said the charges were not true.

Superdome officially takes on Mercedes-Benz name

State lawmakers approved the sale of the Louisiana Superdome’s naming rights to carmaker Mercedes-Benz.

The deal, worth up to $60 million, gets the state out of having to make any cash payments to the New Orleans Saints, who now play in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome

Oakland’s Al Davis died of heart failure

The cause of former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis’ death was determined to have been heart failure.

The death certificate issued by Alameda (Calif.) County said Davis died at age 82 at 2:45 a.m. on Oct. 8 from an abnormal hearth rhythm, congestive heart failure and a heart muscle disease. Davis also had a form of skin cancer and had undergone throat surgery three days before his death. He underwent heart surgery in 1996.

Injury report

Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones, out for about a year because of a bulging disc in his neck that required two surgical procedures, was activated off an injury list, making him eligible for Sunday’s game in Seattle. ... Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward did not practice again because of a sprained ankle and is questionable against the New England Patriots. ... Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson will miss his fourth straight game because of a hamstring injury. ... Saints running back Mark Ingram will not play against St. Louis because of a right heel injury.

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